Abstract
Thermally generated fumes from the production of manganese ferroalloys are mostly composed of metallic oxides generated due to reaction between high-temperature molten metal and ambient oxygen in the air. In the current study, the fume characteristics (particle morphology, compositions and particle size distribution) from the exposure of a SiMn alloy under an impinging air jet, in the temperature range 1400–1700 °C, were experimentally investigated. Combinations of manganese- and manganese/silicon oxide particles were found in the system, displaying both crystalline and amorphous structures. The governing generation mechanisms of fume from both a thermodynamic and a kinetic perspective are discussed.